The Official Newsletter For Members of RSVP OF WESTCHESTER
ALL NEW INSIDE:
RSVP Partner Profile WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL rsvp community connections
ZUMBA! DANCE FOR A DIFFERENCE
Lost learning wrap-up
The Historic impact of RSVP Mentors station Spotlight
Sharing talents with mount vernon’s youth summer volunteer opportunities and so much more!
Editor-in-Chief
Lew Koflowitz
Newsletter Committee Advisors
Guadalupe Fishman
Cheryl Brandwein
Jacqueline Cannino
Lew Koflowitz
All rights reserved ©2024
Publisher: Volunteer New York! 220 White Plains Road Tarrytown, NY 10591
c/o Alex Acaro
Volunteer New York! is an AmeriCorps Seniors grantee that has been host of the RSVP program in Westchester for over 50 years. Thank you to the tens of thousands of RSVP of Westchester members who have served since 1972.
Additional support for RSVP of Westchester is funded by AmeriCorps, the New York State Office for the Aging, and the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services.
To learn more or to join RSVP visit volunteernewyork.org/ adults
I cannot believe that 11 months have passed since I became Director of RSVP of Westchester and what a pleasant journey it has been. I have visited wonderful stations, witnessed your amazing work, and met -- either personally, by email or by phone -amazing super-heroes in action: YOU.
April was National Volunteer month and I take the opportunity to salute you –VOLUNTEERS -- for the time and companionship you give to others for driving clients around; for sharing your knowledge with the younger generation; for helping put food on people’s tables. Your selfless acts give hope; but above all, spread kindness. As I always say, people like you make Westchester County a better place to live. I also want to take the opportunity, on Memorial Day and every day, to remember and pay respect to the men and women who gave their lives for this country.
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) signed into Law in March 2021 by President Biden was a package of emergency assistance to provide services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds helped to keep schools safely open and tackle learning loss and mental health for children in grades K-12. Addressing lost learning was a big undertaking, and it is now “a wrap.” Cheryl Brandwein, Program Manager, worked consistently and closely in partnership with four local nonprofit organizations to recruit volunteers to mentor children of all ages and help them get back on track on their learning path. It was a team effort, and we salute the willingness of each volunteer to show up to help the next generation to face these challenges. But guess what? It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a village to conquer big challenges – local learning loss was addressed successfully by all of you. It was a labor of love and for that -- Thank you! It is also important to mention that the job of mentoring children will continue even without ARP funding as it is necessary to preserve their educational progress.
In this edition, you will read the story of people who were able to identify other opportunities to implement programs to provide extraordinary experiences to children who were part of the ARP program; how the experience of a loss was the inspiration for Zumba: Dance for a Difference!, and the amazing work of Laura Romeo Sobel who envisioned it.
As we can see, when there is a challenge, there is an opportunity – because when we care, we act, and we create positive results. We, together, touch people’s lives in positive ways, and we enhance our own lives by experiencing the satisfaction of giving to others and living to the fullest. This is what life is about!
Warmest regards,
2
Guadalupe M. Fishman Director, RSVP of Westchester Volunteer New York!
It has been an exciting year so far for volunteering in Westchester. This issue of RSVP: You’re Invited covers some of the activities in which RSVP members have participated.
In one feature article you’ll learn about the wide range of volunteering opportunities at White Plains Hospital (WPH) -- one of the County’s leading hospitals. We’ll introduce you to Laura Romeo Sobel, Director of Ancillary Programs and Volunteer Services at the hospital, who has been growing the volunteer programs for the past six years.
In a related article, we tell you about Sobel’s extracurricular volunteer project. In addition to her day job at the hospital and caring for her children, Laura has created a new organization – Dance For a Difference (DFAD)– that raises funds for small nonprofits across Westchester by offering Zumba dance classes on weekends. The program also benefits the dance participants by adding to their exercise regimens.
For her DFAD volunteer efforts, Sobel was awarded the “Quality of Life” Award at the 2024 Volunteer New York! Volunteer Spirit Awards presented in April.
Another feature article covers the successful completion of our “Lost Learning” program that has provided mentoring and tutorial support for students impacted by learning losses during the Covid-19 pandemic. The program was funded under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and administered by Program Manager Cheryl Brandwein.
We’ll also tell you about other RSVP volunteer endeavors at a number of RSVP stations including the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau, among others.
As the official publication of RSVP of Westchester, we want to hear from you. Our members are the lifeblood of this organization – and we want to know about your volunteer activities. What volunteer work are you doing? What would you like to be doing? Do you have ideas for volunteeringrelated activities and functions that we should cover? Please send your ideas and updates to: RSVP Director Guadalupe Fishman at: guadalupe@volunteernewyork.org.
Until next time – enjoy the summer. And keep on volunteering.
Sincerely,
Lew Koflowitz Editor-in-Chief
Volunteering is alive and well at White Plains Hospital (WPH), one of Westchester’s leading health care institutions. In any given month, about 350 volunteers are active at the hospital, according to Laura Romeo Sobel, Director of Ancillary Programs and Volunteer Services at WPH. And in any given year, the hospital has about 500 individual volunteers in total.
White Plains Hospital has been recognized for the quality of its staff and its patient care, and as an outstanding place to work, making it an excellent place to volunteer. Its many awards for care quality and patient service include: 5 Stars (Highest Rating) from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Best Regional Hospital from US News and World Report; and Patient Safety Excellence Award from Healthgrades. Please go to the following section of the hospital’s website for all of the hospital’s many Accreditations and Awards: Accreditations and Awards | White Plains Hospital (wphospital.org).
With thousands of patients per year, hundreds of doctors, and dozens of specialties, WPH is one of the largest and busiest hospitals in Westchester – making the need for volunteers to assist in all areas of the hospital a necessity. The hospital provides volunteer opportunities in these departments and programs:
Administrative, Ambulation Program (Physical Therapy), Book Cart, Caregiver Support, Caring Canines (Therapy Dogs), Center for Cancer Care, Creative HeARTS (for artistic volunteers), Emergency Department (ER), Family Health Center, Gift Shop, Healing Touch Program, Healthful Harmonies (for volunteers who are singers and musicians), Information Desk and Reception Areas,
Life Story Narrative Program, Pastoral Care, Patient Experience, and Patient and Materials Transport.
“There is a need for volunteers in every one of these departments,” says Sobel. “At any given time, the number of volunteers in the various departments ranges from 15-25.”
Of particular interest to RSVP members, the hospital is a magnet for senior volunteers; over 40% of the hospital’s volunteers are 55 and older, Sobel says. That creates many opportunities for RSVP members seeking to volunteer in a healthcare setting.
Volunteers play an integral role in WPH’s operations. Those with particular talents, skills or interests can use their capabilities to assist the medical staff, participate in patient care activities, or help on the business or operations sides of the hospital.
For example, musicians and singers use their talents in the Healthful Harmonies program to bring music to the patients’ bedside to create a pleasant, healing atmosphere.
Another example: The Creative HeARTS program is an athome opportunity that utilizes the artistic talents of volunteers to engage with hospital patients and staff. Volunteers are asked to create and donate handmade items—such as origami, jewelry, small pictures and paintings, poetry, knitted or crocheted items, and greeting cards—for distribution to patients at WPH and the Center for Cancer Care; to staff throughout the healthcare system, and to the hospital’s gift shop locations. Unlike other volunteer opportunities at WPH, Creative HeARTS does not require an application to participate – anyone can participate from home.
Volunteers in the Emergency Department (ER) assist doctors and nurses in patient care in the fast-paced emergency environment.
Volunteers in the hospital’s administrative departments provide assistance in various office capacities, e.g., data review and entry, copying, scanning, and phone work.
There is a wide range of volunteer opportunities for seniors, says Sobel. “The volunteer office works with seniors to
determine the best fit for them,” she says.
Sobel points out the many benefits of volunteering that contribute to overall wellness. In a recent article in Health Matters Magazine (December 2023), she writes that volunteering “truly complements the essential components of wellness.” She classifies these benefits into several categories: 1
• Emotional – Volunteering “elicits positive emotions.”
• Financial/Occupational – Volunteering helps gain experience needed to advance one’s career.
• Social – Volunteering helps you build a “social circle.” “Remember, everyone needs a village.”
• Spiritual – “Volunteering often gently forces you to be in the present moment and reflect on what values are most important to you...No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted [Aesop].” You are part of that kindness.
• Physical – “There are so many positive benefits to one’s physical health by volunteering, such as reducing stress and anxiety, increasing movement and mobility, and lessening perceived physical discomforts.”
• Intellectual – Volunteering exposes you “to things that are new and continue to add to your skillset, providing mental stimulation and strengthening your cognition.”
• Environment/Community – Volunteers “love what they do and continue to do it because they enjoy being in that environment. Volunteering allows you to be part of a community in which you are needed, appreciated, and valued.”
Sobel Receives “Quality of Life” Award from Volunteer New York!
In addition to leading the volunteer programs at WPH, Sobel founded and runs a charitable organization that raises money for nonprofits across Westchester. Dance for a Difference is highlighted in an article in this issue written by Jackee Cannino (see related article).
For this outstanding work, Sobel received the “Quality of Life” Award at the 2024 annual Volunteer Spirit Awards sponsored by Volunteer New York! in April.
You Can Volunteer at WPH
Volunteers at White Plains Hospital enjoy a warm relationship with doctors, nurses. and other hospital staff, says Sobel. “We appreciate our volunteers, and we recognize their contributions in many ways during the year,” she says.
Volunteer shifts are available throughout the day and evening – so there are opportunities to fit any volunteer’s schedule. The earliest shift begins at 8:00 a.m., and the latest shift ends at 9:00 p.m.
If you are interested in learning more about volunteering at White Plains Hospital, please go to the hospital’s website section on volunteer opportunities, https://www.wphospital. org/about-us/volunteer-opportunities/.
“The Lion and the Mouse,” one of Aesop’s Fables, teaches us that kindness is always worth giving. It seems like such a simple thought, yet it is filled with so much meaning! Laura Romeo Sobel, founder of Dance For A Difference (DFAD), has lived by this lesson for much of her life.
DFAD is a charitable organization through which Sobel raises money for local nonprofits. Sobel hosts weekly “donate-what-you-wish” Zumba classes from which funds that are donated are contributed to a different local nonprofit.
After teaching Zumba classes for 15 years, in March 2023, Laura began to use her dance capabilities to assist local nonprofits in raising money for their particular missions. As of its one-year anniversary in March 2024, DFAD has raised a total of $15,000 for more than 30 nonprofits throughout Westchester.
Sobel, whose day job is Director of Ancillary Programs & Volunteer Services at White Plains Hospital (WPH), says DFAD is a “passion project,” which has “evolved into a beautiful outlet for creativity and joy outside of my day-to-day routine.”
She adds that this project “has built awareness for some exceptional nonprofits and connection between
Volunteerism and philanthropy have been part of Laura’s life since her childhood. As a young girl, she assisted her Mom in leading her younger sister’s Girl Scout troop, and she collected coins for a school service project.
Laura has had a passion for dance going back to her high school years. After college, she became a Zumba
instructor and volunteered to conduct Zumba classes at local gyms.
That’s how she came up with the idea for DFAD. In 2018, early in her tenure at White Plains Hospital, and after her son Henry was born, she combined her interests in dance and philanthropy; and she hatched a plan to start an organization that used dance as a means of raising money for nonprofit organizations throughout Westchester County.
The idea was magical...offer Zumba classes, free of charge, asking participants to donate any amount of their choosing. The donations collected would go directly to a designated nonprofit organization. Her idea would be called Dance For A Difference.
But, as they say, “Timing is everything.” Laura was prepared to begin her Dance For A Difference program in March of 2020. But the Covid pandemic interfered, and the plan was put on hold for the next couple of years. Within that time, Laura experienced a devastating pregnancy loss and her focus on helping others expanded to her need to seek support for herself. This loss spurred Laura’s determination to move forward with her plan.
She found support and comfort in the Maggie Rose Perinatal Bereavement Program, an organization that she became even closer to after a second pregnancy loss. The Bereavement Program became Dance For A Difference’s first sponsored class. Here friendships grew, encouragement flourished -- all providing Laura with the impetus to continue. The generosity and kindness of “strangers” she met in her bereavement classes, helped create the logo and website for Dance For A Difference. She then reached out to more non-profits to join the program.
It’s a Win-Win!
Dance For A Difference is a win-win!! Participating dancers have the satisfaction of “giving back” to their community, having fun, meeting people, and contributing to their own physical health through dance exercise. All of this is done in a casual, easy and non-threatening environment, says Sobel. Individuals of all ages and skill levels are welcome at Dance For A Difference – including mothers who
bring their children with them to dance.
The program continues to grow – as Sobel attracts many “dancers” to her workouts each week, and she reaches out to more and more Westchester nonprofits to help.
On April 12, 2024, Laura Romeo Sobel was celebrated at Volunteer NewYork!’s 44th Annual Volunteer Spirit Awards breakfast. She was the recipient of the “Quality of Life” Award, presented by PCSB Community Foundation for her Dance For A Difference program. The Volunteer Spirit Awards recognize a distinguished group of volunteers each year who have done extraordinary work in local volunteering. Laura stands among many impressive and dedicated individuals acknowledged in areas of education, literacy, going green, resiliency, social advocacy, and youth leadership.
Back at White Plains Hospital, Laura has created, supported, strengthened, and grown an extensive array of volunteer programs and opportunities. Despite this robust position, as well as her work with Dance For A Difference and taking care of her family, she still finds time to volunteer with Impact100 Westchester. This women’s collective-giving organization engages women in philanthropy. You can learn more about volunteering at White Plains Hospital in an article included in this edition of You’re Invited: RSVP, written by my colleague, Lew Koflowitz. Be sure to look for it.
DFAD classes are held at The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry on weekend mornings. The suggested donation per class is $20-$25, but all amounts are accepted. A schedule of classes and additional information can be found at danceforadifference.org.
Although Aesop’s Fables were told by storytellers in ancient Greece, with the purpose of imparting clear, moral lessons, the story of Laura Romeo Sobel and Dance For A Difference is a modern-day true story. Laura has learned that acquaintances can grow to become great friends, and that we should never underestimate the value of people we know. Throughout her life of volunteering and philanthropy, she has passed on her lessons learned. The following quote from Aesop, which she carries with her always, sums up Laura Romeo Sobel and Dance For A Difference: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
In October, RSVP participated in the Westchester Senior Voice’s Annual Booming Better Expo at Reid Castle at Manhattanville College. Booming Better is a day of learning, socializing and engaging to meet the professionals, businesses and services that serve our County’s population ages 55 and better. Workshops and presentations included many topics including community volunteerism.
In November, RSVP volunteers and others gathered for an annual celebratory brunch in appreciation for their dedicated service as mentors, providing academic support for students all over Westchester County. Elected officials including County Executive George Latimer and State Senator Shelley Mayer attended, and a magician delighted guests with card tricks!
In December, RSVP and members of the RISE (Readiness Through Integrated Service Engagement) program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities joined together for an integrated holiday volunteer project. The group made winter hat-andglove kits for guests at an Emergency Shelter in Northern Westchester.
In January, RSVP visited with YAI RISE volunteers to thank them with a delivery of special holiday treats in orange mittens tucked inside mugs. YAI volunteers have lovingly made over 1,500 handmade birthday cards for RSVP members, and we are so appreciative of all they do to support RSVP and the community!
In March, members of the Red Hat Society of Yonkers visited Volunteer New York!’s offices to launch a volunteer committee engaging members in monthly local service projects. Red Hat Society members are already making a huge difference in the community, helping out at the Earth Day celebration at the Wartburg Adult Care Community, an RSVP partner station.
In April, Members of the Greenburgh Evergreen Club and other RSVP members enjoyed an afternoon of food and dancing at the 22nd Annual Senior Prom at Manhattanville College. In a fitting celebration of spring, this year’s theme was “Flowers.” A good time was had by all!
In April, RSVP was proud to participate in the HERstory event at the Greentree Country Club in New Rochelle in celebration of Women’s History Month. One hundred and fifty community members came to enjoy lunch and celebrate the stories of New Rochelle women and senior citizens.
Community Impact! That is what RSVP is all about. A brigade of like-minded older adult “do gooders” helping to make each day better for our neighbors and community. Nowhere is this more evident than a rearview-mirror glance at the historic impact of our RSVP Lost Learning initiative.
RSVP members accepted the challenge from Day One -- stepping up in droves to help with this historic program to assist local students disparately impacted by the pandemic. We are thrilled to report that this program was a resounding success – and the proof is in the numbers…
A Historic Initiative
In April 2021, through an augmentation of our federal Americorps Seniors grant, RSVP of Westchester was awarded American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds in the amount of $102,000. These funds were earmarked to increase our K-12 success programs in economically disadvantaged communities in Westchester County
to address youth learning loss resulting from the Covid pandemic. The goal was to add 102 unduplicated volunteers to these programs.
One-on-one tutoring is one of the simplest and most costeffective solutions to bridge academic divides among diverse school districts. However, students in school districts with racial and socioeconomic inequities may lack resources to employ private tutors. The goal of our lost learning program was to recruit and match RSVP volunteers with one of four partner nonprofits to serve as intergenerational tutors and mentors and help local students disparately impacted by school closures, remote learning and other negative effects of the pandemic.
Our four nonprofit organization partners in addressing lost learning provide support to under-resourced urban school districts in Westchester County that have high levels of poverty and low student state test scores. The following local nonprofit organizations were chosen to be RSVP Lost Learning program partners:
• Family Service Society of Yonkers
• Mount Vernon Youth Bureau
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Westchester
• Lifting Up Westchester
ARP funds were instrumental in helping to recruit RSVP volunteers for this historic initiative, creating ongoing partnerships with the four local nonprofit organizations that work with students in vulnerable communities most in need of support. These intergenerational relationships not only provided the structure to mentor and tutor students in vulnerable communities and mitigate learning loss, but also served to engage older adults in Westchester County with a renewed sense of purpose and service to the community.
To
While literacy programs were the backbone of the Lost Learning initiative, after-school enrichment was the key to a well-rounded student experience. Hands-on projects are an overlooked and underfunded strategy with great potential to re-engage students in learning. Enrichment has been shown to reduce chronic absenteeism because students do not want to miss what is being offered at school.
RSVP volunteers stepped up to support two vital Mount Vernon Youth Bureau (MVYB) after-school enrichment programs, the Safe Haven program for students in grades 1-5 and the Girls Embracing Maturity (GEM) Program for students in grades 6-8. RSVP members were a vital partner
in supporting the MVYB’s mission to educate, expose, and empower Mount Vernon youth and families to make healthy decisions that will lead to eventual self-sufficiency and lifelong success.
RSVP volunteers shared a wide variety of talents and experiences to supplement and enrich the school curriculum. Skills shared with students during one-time or multi-session programs included art, career development, financial literacy, civics and elections, sewing, quilting, music/music theory, and a culinary program taught by a retired chef.
Ruby Tolbert is a retired early childhood educator, known by her students as “Miss Ruby.” Ruby worked for the IBM Corporation for 17 years and was selected as one of 100 employees throughout the U.S. to participate in the IBM pilot program “Transition 2 Teaching.” For the next 15 years she taught preschool, earning a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Master of Science in Early Childhood Education, and a New York State teaching certification. Miss Ruby wrote and self-published two motivational books for children: “The Adventures of ICANBE” and “I-Can-Be Meets Fear & Doubt”, and a “Passport to Kindergarten” workbook that received an acknowledgement from former first lady Michelle Obama.
Ruby eventually started a virtual program called Project Lifeline to help students heal and find creative outlets after her niece was bullied at the same time she was dealing with the death of her grandmother, Ruby’s mother.
Ruby moved with her family to Mount Vernon in 1973 at age 13. She had a desire to give back to the community that made such a positive impact on her life. She and her brother Ellis, one of her 8 brothers, brought music and art lessons to the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau after-school enrichment programs. Armed with 15 violins, keyboards, and other instruments, along with a host of interesting art projects, Miss Ruby’s goal is to offer more than just a performance, but to give students tools to manage social and emotional challenges. Ruby’s mission is to encourage self-expression and creativity, build confidence, motivate, and make a positive impact on students by providing calming outlets through music and the arts in these challenging times.
Joann Mincello lives in Yonkers and has a mental health background as a former case manager for Family Services of Westchester and Westchester Jewish Community Services, training in the fields of addiction and substance abuse, and hospice care. Joann is a person of many talents and experiences including serving as a nanny, girl scout troop leader, meditation and mindfulness leader, and certified reiki healer.
Joann’s other skills include sewing, face painting, cooking, and dressing up to help Santa as Mrs. Claus at local malls every Christmas. Joann raised her family in Mount Vernon and wanted to give back to the community.
For the past two years, Joann has shared her sewing and quilting talents with students ages 6-15 in several Mount Vernon Youth Bureau after-school enrichment programs.
A portable sewing machine, fabrics and other supplies were donated by Monica Gayle and other RSVP members, allowing Miss Joann to create “Traveling Stitches,” a program where she teaches lifelong essential skills. The students have learned how to make their own
useful projects like small tote bags, pencil cases, aprons, and clothes.
Over the course of a year, they also joined together to create a beautiful mosaic “community quilt” – a proud testament to the power of collaboration and community. In December 2023, “Miss Joann” was inducted into the Westchester County Senior Hall of Fame for her work with the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau!
Tom Pumo is a retired chef who lives in Mount Vernon. Tom was interested in giving back to students in his community and developed a multi-week healthy eating culinary program curriculum, teaching students to make fruit kebobs, smoothies, salads, taco bowls, and other delicious meals.
“Chef Tom’s Academy” culminated in a graduation ceremony where students received certificates and celebrated with a gourmet buffet and chocolate dipped bananas to celebrate all of the new skills they have learned.
Tom’s program was presented in partnership with the Mount Vernon Stop and Shop supermarket, which along with Mazzy’s Bar in Mount Vernon, generously donated all funding and food supplies.
Tom also volunteers as a graduation and essay coach with another RSVP partner station, Yonkers Partners in Education (YPIE), and is a volunteer with the Untermyer Gardens Conservancy in Yonkers.
LEADERSHIP WESTCHESTER CLASS OF 2024:
Marykate Acquisto, The Quinn Law Firm
Veronica Bazan, Women's Enterprise Development Center
Dana Belin, Honey Beez Childcare Center
Mary Benjamin, Westchester Parks Foundation
Jonathan Campozano, Neighbors Link
Yin Choy Chen, R2M Realty, Inc.
Jordan Cormier, Youth Shelter
Program of Westchester
Juan Diaz, M&T Bank
Jessica Friedlander, Volunteer New York!
Bruce Jackson, Feeding Westchester
Thank you to the exceptional local leaders who graduate from our Leadership Westchester program. While we know the last nine months have been a journey, this is only the beginning of what's next. Now, it's your time to lead!
Nikhil Jagga, CMIT Solutions
Adam Kintish, M&T Bank
Tuesday Paige McDonald, City of Peekskill Youth Bureau
Travis Melby, SUNY Westchester Community College
Kara Pacheco, Webster Bank
Victor Parada
Becky Silverstein
Allashia Smith-Harris (Allie), ACT Institute
Andre Thompson
Robin White, AT&T
LEADERSHIP WESTCHESTER 2024 ALUM OF THE YEAR:
EMILY SALTZMAN
Leadership Westchester
BUDDIES IS BACK! Your assistance, even for just one day, can make a significant impact! New locations for Summer 2024:
Y O U R T I M E I S
Y O U R L E G A C Y .
T H A N K Y O U F O R
U S I N G I T F O R G O O D .
